Exam Schoolgirl disqualified over ‘ISLAMOPHOBIA’

A GCSE pupil was disqualified after examiners saw her vegetarian views on Halal meat as ‘Islamophobic’

Abigail Ward who is aged 16 and attends Gildredge House school in Eastbourne East Sussex, was told by exam board OCR that she had made ‘obscene racial comments’ while answering her Religious Studies exam in June.

On the subject of halal butchers, the schoolgirl had written, ‘…which I find absolutely disgusting.’

In an appeal, her school explained that her comment was in relation to her vegetarian beliefs, not her opinions on Muslims. According to her mother, Layla Ward, the examiner has been ‘over-zealous, over-righteous’.

Abbey is an animal lover and a very strict vegetarian.

It made me angry … when asked a question in the exam, you can’t even express your feelings.

It’s great that it has been overturned, but it should never have happened.

In a statement, OCR said it has apologised to Abbey, adding that its initial conclusion was incorrect and ‘too harsh’.

Exam board OCR has since overturned the decision to disqualify the student. Questions are being asked as to who was behind this initial decision with no response from OCR. Some have indicated on social media that not being able to criticise Halal is akin to the enforcement of Blasphemy Laws in the UK.